Dilos

Accessible only by boat from Mykonos, Delos is arguably the most magnificent archaeological site of the Cyclades and one of the most important in Greece. Today uninhabited, Delos represents one of the primary religious centres of the Greek world in antiquity. It was a holy island, dedicated to the god Apollo. It was also a city without defensive walls yet with theatres and other public buildings, developed around the temple of Apollo.

Today Delos constitutes the most well preserved ancient city in Greece. Continuous raids by pirates – initially Slavs but also the Byzantine emperor Isavros – replaced the brilliant art and architecture with a pile of ruins. In the 19th century excavations began by the French archaeological School, unveiling an enormous archaeological site with ruins of temples, public buildings, markets and private residences.

The island features an arid river (Inopos), running from north to south. Still today, visitors disembark on the uninhabited island at the ancient ‘holy’ harbour on the northwest coast. In addition to the ruins, there is an important museum that certainly makes the visit to the island even more worthwhile.